Electronic Tracking Of Livestock Has Many Opponents In The US
Using electronic tags to track livestock is widespread in Europe. Proponents say it helps prevent and contain food-borne illnesses, but the idea is…
More Farmers Are Planting Cover Crops Thanks To State Incentive Programs
Last month, the Illinois Department of Agriculture opened applications for its second annual Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program — which provides a…
‘It Was An Incredible Experience’: U of I Professor Tapped By Biden Administration To Transition USDA
URBANA – A University of Illinois professor helped the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) transition from the Trump to the new Biden-Harris administration. Jonathan Coppess is one of hundreds of people — including researchers, professors and scientists — who volunteered their time on the effort. Coppess, an assistant professor within the U of I’s agriculture […]
Rural Towns Across The Country Struggle To Keep Water Clean
Cheryl LeFevre doesn’t drink the water in Hobart, Oklahoma without a filter. Without a filter, sometimes the water smells like chlorine or rust….
Farm Income Up This Year, Mostly Thanks To Uncle Sam
Balance sheets for farms may look better at the end of 2020 than they have in years. That’s according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest…
‘Incredibly Unlikely’ China Will Meet Its Trade Targets, Expert Says
It’s been almost ten months since the signing of the first phase of a trade agreement between the United States and China. In the lofty deal, China…
‘Either I Risk It All Or Nothing At All’: Migrant Workers’ Need To Work Outweighs COVID-19 Concerns
On the outskirts of Rantoul, in east-central Illinois, about 100 migrant farmworkers are living at an old hotel in a sleepy part of town. Every day at…
Farmers Are Getting Another Round Of Coronavirus Aid, But USDA Hasn’t Fully Spent The First One
At a campaign rally in Wisconsin last week, President Trump announced U.S. farmers will receive an additional $14 billion in coronavirus relief aid….
In An Autumn Of Uncertainties, More Kids Can Rely On Free School Lunches
As the new school year gets underway, some students are in classrooms and others are at home but one thing is now clear: all kids can get free school…
New Limits On Free Meals For Kids Concern Illinois School Officials
CHAMPAIGN – Some Illinois school officials are upset that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not extended waivers that would allow districts to continue serving free meals to all students under 18 years of age. In a typical school year, students must meet specific criteria to qualify for the USDA-operated National School Lunch Program. Families […]
Farmers Increasingly Look To Solar To Power Their Operations
Chris Bohr’s farm in Martinsburg, Missouri, has hundreds of acres of soybeans and corn. It also has a 5,000 head hog barn that requires a lot of…
Help From Uncle Sam Isn’t Reaching All Farmers
When you walk into Cyndy Ash’s barn, one of the first things you notice is a huge burlap sack, bursting at the seams with wool. “We’re sitting on about…
To Entice More Rural Investment, USDA Proposes Changes To Loan Programs
The United States Department of Agriculture is seeking public comment on changes that it says will make getting loans for major projects easier for…
Ask The Newsroom: SNAP Benefits For July And Beyond
Each month throughout the pandemic, Illinois Newsroom has received questions from listeners about whether maximum SNAP benefits will be issued. To find out more about how the program works and what SNAP recipients in Illinois can expect going forward, Illinois Newsroom reporter Dana Cronin spoke with Leslie Cully, who oversees the SNAP program for the […]
Amid Chaotic Dicamba Ruling, Some Say Farmers’ Herbicide Options Were Already Dwindling
A federal court in California recently vacated the three popular dicamba herbicides—Xtendimax, Fexipan, and Engenia—after the court determined the EPA violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) by registering the chemicals for use. Environmental advocates rejoiced, while farm groups lamented the decision as yet another hurdle for farmers to overcome during a difficult […]